One of the fastest growing areas of communications technology is related to automobile network solutions. The demand and potential for wireless vehicle communication, networking and diagnostic services have recently increased. Although many vehicles on the road today have limited wireless communication functions, such as unlocking a door and setting or disabling a car alarm, new vehicles offer additional wireless communication systems that help personalize comfort settings, run maintenance and diagnostic functions, place telephone calls, access call-center information, update controller systems, determine vehicle location, assist in tracking vehicle after a theft of the vehicle and provide other vehicle-related services. Drivers can call telematics call centers and receive navigational, concierge, emergency, and location services, as well as other specialized help such as locating the geographical position of a stolen vehicle and honking the horn of a vehicle when the owner cannot locate it in a large parking garage.
Status data, stored in a vehicle, contains information on a variety of vehicle systems and includes diagnostic codes for many vehicle functions. Service Centers access some of this status data when a vehicle is brought in for service. This status data is only available to a service center having the proper equipment to access the data. Other parties, such as vehicle owners and vehicle manufacturers can also benefit by access to this status data but do not have the opportunity for or the equipment for access to the status data.
Scheduled vehicle maintenance and unscheduled vehicle repairs are a part of vehicle ownership. Maintenance and repairs are frequently costly events for both vehicle owners and vehicle manufacturers. The cost, to the manufacturer, of maintaining a warranty can be significant while the cost of out of warranty repairs can be a burden for a vehicle owner. By reducing warranty costs a vehicle manufacturer can reduce its own costs as well as the cost of ownership to the vehicle owner. Access to data regarding the frequency or repair required by various vehicle components and by particular vehicle models, is helpful in allowing manufacturers to reduce warranty claims.
Labor charges are a major component of maintenance and repair bills. Avoiding unnecessary repairs saves a vehicle owner both time and money. Streamlining the vehicle servicing process improves customer satisfaction and can help prevent unnecessary repairs and saves time for both the service center and the vehicle owner.
It is desirable therefore, to provide a system and method for providing status data for vehicle maintenance, that overcomes the challenges and obstacles described above.